These are Dodgers minor leaguers running during Spring Training. I like this picture because it depicts the minor leaguers fighting to make it to the Majors.

Like Cristina Saralegui says in that Cuban expression “Pa’lante, pa’lante, pa’tras ni pa’ coger impulso” which means “Forward, don’t step back, not even to gain momentum (coud also be understood as “to get a running start”.)

That is my advice to the minor leaguers. Pa’lante muchachos! Spring forward!

First Spring Training game for the Dodgers today! Baseball is back! Pa’lante todos mis muchachos! Good luck to all the guys new ones, old ones and those struggling to make the team! Pa’lante!

Spring forward!

My first time participating in the Weekly Photo Challenge with a theme. This week’s challenge is a picture that says FORWARD

So since I already had the book I decided to go to the Mike Piazza signing. I drove to work so that I could start work earlier and get out earlier. I told my boss before I left that if I did not show up on Thursday is because I might be in jail. haha.

I found Cindy and her husband were the first two people in line in letter. I don’t know how far the letters went but I saw the group for D. I was probably the 10th person in line for letter A. When I got there I think there were about 50 people there.

I waited until Mike signed my book.

Then I leaned over and told him “Maybe you were misunderstood in the book, but I think you should apologize to Vin Scully”

He listened to me and he said “oh… It wasn’t bad” I wished that Mike would have elaborated but by this time, I already had to move. There was this big guy to my left there making sure the people were moving right after they signed the book.

I do collect baseball books. I ordered them online, or buy them from SABR, at bookstores, thrift stores or at Friends of the Library bookstores. I do need another bookshelf.

Back to taking the train tomorrow. I do prefer to take the train than to drive to work. It also gives me a chance to do some reading.

If he has barely seen it recently, he should apologize to Vin Scully while he is in the Los Angeles area today for the signing of his book. I hope is not a long shot that he will apologize.

Yes, today is Mike Piazza’s book signing at Vroman’s in Pasadena (the one on Colorado, not the one at the Hasting Ranch).

I bought the book before knowing Mike Piazza slammed Vin Scully in the book. Would I have bought the book had I known about this? Most likely not. But since I did, I did go to the index and read everything he had to say about our beloved Vin.

Here is part of what Mike said in the book:

“He wasn’t happy about it. And Scully’s voice carried a great deal of authority in Los Angeles…The way the whole contract drama looked to them (the fans) — many of whom were taking their cue from Scully — was that, by setting a deadline and insisting on so much money, I was demonstrating a conspicuous lack of loyalty to the ball club. I understood that.”

Mike also says that as he started the season poorly “Vin Scully was crushing me” Did someone else tell him this? because he was playing so he could not hear Vin. As we know, Vin does not talk poorly about another player, he reports on what goes on the field and makes the game more enjoyable giving us anecdotes and some statistics. He paints beautiful poetry broadcasting the game. Mike just sounds paranoid about Vin Scully and Dodger fans.

Here is part of what Vin says in the video from Vero Beach:

“We’re visiting with Mike Piazza, and I’m sure neither one of us would like to talk about it, and yet the millions of people out there watching are interested in it, it is a big story, so consequently we have to address it. And that is, you’re down here, playing out the last year of your contract, coming up hopefully for you will be a multi-year multi-million dollar contract. Is that on your mind?”

Vin Scully in the interview gives Mike a chance to say something like “This is not an ultimatum” but Mike accepts it and so it goes.

When the LA Times asked Vin about what Mike said, Vin responded with “”As God is my judge, I don’t get involved in these things,” I can’t imagine I would ever put my toe in the water as far as a player and his negotiations”

Mike: If you would apologize to Vin Scully, I might forgive you and maybe so would many Dodger fans and Baseball fans.

When the Dodgers posted the first picture of Sandy Koufax suit up in Dodger Blue, I got excited! I had seen him Sunday at Camelback Ranch with a white long sleeve t-shirt and jogging pants. Unfortunately we had to leave Sunday so we did not get to see him Monday all dressed in Dodger Blue. But that is OK, just seeing the pictures, I got super excited. I could not wipe a big smile off my face while I work on President’s Day.

The pictures below are from Dodger photographer Jon SooHoo who does an excellent job. check out all the photos here:

thank to Lorena for showing me how to take a picture of a tweet! And to her niece Josie for showing me how to this on my iPhone. I need to take class so that I can learn more. Haha. We are on the road to Camelback. we just passed Morongo Casino. The Mafia girls are on their way to Spring Training!

February 13, is my fourth blogging anniversary. Yes, it was four years ago, a day before Valentine’s Day that I decided to start a blog. Four years later and 500+ blog posts, I am still here learning and blogging.

I have never tried before to write haikus but I decided to read about them and attempt to write some so here are three

Eddie Basinski then

Basinski was born on 11/4/1922 in Buffalo, NY. He wore uniform #3 for the Dodgers.

Eddie was signed after a tryout by the Dodgers out of the University of Buffalo even though he hadn’t played baseball in either high school or College.

Eddie debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1944. He was the Dodgers regular shortstop while Pee Wee Reese was in the military in 1945 but lost his job when World War II ended an Reese returned.

According to Baseball-Refernces:

He made a prototypical rookie mistake when first coming up to the National League: hitting .389 after two weeks, he told a reporter that “Any man who can’t hit .300 in this league ought to go get a lunch bucket.” Opposing pitchers never let him live down those words.

Eddie spent the off-season as a violinist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Eddie Basinksi now

Here is a video of Portland Baseball history with Eddie Basinski and Vince Peski. Eddie tells some wonderful stories that had me cracking up.

Ad here is a another video. A wonderful interview of Eddie Baskinksi by KrisPorterSports. In there he talks about Branch Richie & Leo Durocher.

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